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The news of the release of this double vinyl (once again with the vinyl) reached me over the phone while I was calling one of the most well-stocked record stores in the capital, to find out if they had any Dire Straits bootlegs. As soon as it was confirmed to me that it was on the market, I bought a copy and devoted myself to listening for several months. This work - in the CD edition - contains eleven tracks, naturally (almost) all classics.
The opening of the concerts held to promote "Love Over Gold" is left to the vibrant guitar of "Once Upon A Time In The West", followed by one of the gems that has never been overly appreciated from "Making Movies", which is "Expresso Love", and an extended version - both in the intro and the outro - of the most beautiful love story (am I exaggerating perhaps?) ever set to music by a rock band titled "Romeo And Juliet". "Love Over Gold" is presented in an essential version (hard to believe, huh?) of about four minutes. "Private Investigations" is well received by the audience, which gives an excellent display of participation, particularly in the bass interlude that extends it, setting it apart from the version on "Love Over Gold". After four hits of the hi-hat, "Sultans Of Swing" begins, and the audience goes wild as they succumb to the sonic emotions generated by the band, driven by a muscular Terry Williams on the drums; the sharp and historic final solo arrives after a previously unheard musical interlude, where the group demonstrates that live shows are the litmus test for proving to be a great rock'n'roll orchestra.
In full respect of the musical concept called Dire Straits, "Alchemy" not only represents a true greatest hits live album but also showcases all the various musical facets of the band, thus giving even a delightful "Two Young Lovers" (I would say not quite a classic) the chance to be heard and make the audience dance, engaging them in something different from holding an "air guitar" and mimicking Knopfler. "Solid Rock" bursts forth in a compact manner, presenting the various band members with the chance to bring to life a true "rock'n'roll circus" where physical energy turns into a tremendous and powerful sound, summarized perfectly by a finale deserving of a standing ovation (watch the video on the market). The performance of "Telegraph Road" (not much different from the studio version) and "Tunnel Of Love" (preceded by a previously unheard introduction lasting about five minutes) hold us in place for almost half an hour... but it's worth it, I assure you. "Going Home" (taken from M.K.'s first soundtrack, Local Hero) is the instrumental gem and serene conclusion of the show, touching enough to make the Celtic flavors it exudes appreciated, capable of mingling with the sax of former King Crimson (and much more) Mel Collins, who seals the farewell of Mark & co. from a completely enthralled crowd.
The live albums that will go down in history are quite different (who knows!?), but for those who missed Dire Straits live back in those years and want to (re)experience certain feelings, this double CD (and the related DVD) is proof that another enchanting band had already risen on the wings of glory and would soon confirm its immortality.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Once Upon a Time in the West (13:01)
Some people get a cheap laugh breaking up the speed limit
Scaring the pedestrians for a minute
Crossing up progress driving on the grass
Leaving just enough room to pass
Sunday driver never took a test
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west
Yes it's no use saying that you don't know nothing
It's still gonna get you if you don't do something
Sitting on a fence that's a dangerous course
Oh, you could even catch a bullet from the peace-keeping force
Even the hero gets a bullet in the chest
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west
Mother Mary your children are slaughtered
Some of you mothers ought to lock up your daughters
Who's protecting the innocenti
Heap big trouble in the land of plenty
Tell me how we're gonna do what's best
You guess once upon a time in the west
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west
Once upon a time in the west
03 Romeo and Juliet (08:17)
A love struck Romeo sings the streets a serenade
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
Finds a street light, steps out of the shade
Says something like, "You and me babe, how about it?"
Juliet says, "Hey it's Romeo, you nearly gave me a heart attack"
He's underneath the window, she's singing, "Hey la, my boyfriend's back
You shouldn't come around here, singing up at people like that"
Anyway, what you gonna do about it?
Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start,
And I bet, then you exploded in my heart,
And I forget, I forget, the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?
Come up on different streets, they both were streets of shame,
Both dirty, both mean, yes, and the dream was just the same,
And I dreamed your dream for you, and now your dream is real
How can you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals?
Well, you can fall for chains of silver, you can fall for chains of gold
You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold
You promised me everything, you promised me thick and thin, yeah
Now you just say, "Oh Romeo, yeah, you know I used to have a scene with him"
Juliet, when we made love you used to cry
You said "I love you like the stars above, I'll love you till I die"
There's a place for us, you know the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?
I can't do the talk like the talk on the TV
And I can't do a love song, like the way it's meant to be
I can't do everything, but I'll do anything for you
I can't do anything 'cept be in love with you
And all I do is miss you and the way we used to be
All I do is keep the beat and the band company
And all I do is kiss you, through the bars of a rhyme
Juliet, I'd do the stars with you, anytime
Ah Juliet, when we made love you used to cry
You said I love you like the stars above, I'll love you till I die
There's a place for us, you know the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?
And a love struck Romeo, sings the streets a serenade,
Laying everybody low, with a love song that he made
Finds a convenient street light, steps out of the shade
Says something like, "You and me babe, how about it?"
"You and me babe, how about it?"
05 Private Investigations (07:34)
It's a mystery to me ... the game commences
for the usual fee ... plus expenses
confidential information ... it's in a diary
This is my investigation ... it's not a public inquiry
I go checking out the reports ... digging up the dirt
you get to meet all sorts in this line of work
treachery and treason ... there's always an excuse for it
and when I find the reason I still can't get used to it
And what have you got at the end of the day?
what have you got to take away?
a bottle of whisky and a new set of lies
blinds on the windows and a pain behind the eyes
Scarred for life ... no compensation
private investigations
06 Sultans of Swing (10:54)
You get a shiver in the dark
It's raining in the park, but meantime
South of the river you stop and you hold everything
A band is blowing dixie double four time
You feel alright when you hear that music ring
Well now you step inside but you don't see too many faces
Coming in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down
Competition in other places
Ah but the horns, they blowin' that sound
Way on down south
Way on down south, London town
Check out Guitar George, he knows all the chords
Mind he's strictly rhythm, he doesn't want to make it cry or sing
Yes and an old guitar is all he can afford
When he gets up under the lights to play his thing
And Harry doesn't mind if he doesn't make the scene
He's got a daytime job, he's doing alright
He can play the honky tonk like anything
Saving it up for Friday night
With the Sultans
We're the Sultans of Swing
Then a crowd of young boys, they're fooling around in the corner
Drunk and dressed in their best brown baggies and their platform soles
They don't give a damn about any trumpet playing band
It ain't what they call rock and roll
Then the Sultans
Yeah, the Sultans they played creole
Creole
And then the man, he steps right up to the microphone
And says at last just as the time bell rings
Goodnight, now it's time to go home
Then he makes it fast with one more thing
We are the Sultans
We are the Sultans of Swing
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Other reviews
By NoName
"The highlight of the CD is undoubtedly the track that made them famous, 'Sultans Of Swing': 11 minutes of music and a final instrumental part where Knopfler gives his best in a breathtaking solo."
"A must-listen for those who appreciate the powerful sound of guitar and drums."
By AJM
Mark Knopfler makes love with the music, the guitar starts timid and silent only to gradually increase in intensity.
Dire Straits find their ideal dimension in live performances, where tracks break free from their chains and evolve.
By Knopfler76
Ok. The most thrilling live performance I've ever had the pleasure of listening to.
The perfect live performance. Always. Forever.
By Knopfler76
The most exciting live concert I have ever had the pleasure of listening to.
The perfect live concert. Of all time. Forever.
